Hermione's Ring
by marauder-xx
Summary: When Hermione gets a ring from Viktor Krum, Ron and Fred are furious. Which one of them will be able to win Hermione over? Slight Harry/Ginny, George/OC.
1. The Ring

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**This story has my OC in it, Maddie. (AKA Madeline)**

**Anyway, it's a Ron/Hermione/Fred story. It takes place around 4th year, but they know Luna Lovegood. **

**R&R**

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Hermione walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast with Harry and Ron like she did every morning. Today, however, they endured many taunts and stony silences. "Honestly, " Hermione said, loud enough so only Harry and Ron heard. "Just because you're in the Triwizard Tournament, Harry"

Harry did not answer her. Ron was with them only because he couldn't find Fred and George. He wasn't speaking to Harry. He always got the glory, and if he put his name in the Goblet of Fire, why hadn't he told him how to, so he could enter aswell?  
Hermione was relieved when they reached the Great Hall, she couldn't take much more of their stony silences. She sat down at the Gryffindor table, Harry sat next to her, Ron across from them. Not five minutes later, Fred and George came and sat next to Ron. "Ah, look at poor Maddie." George said, motioning to his girlfriend at the Ravenclaw table. The red haired girl had her down on a textbook, her hair a mess. She looked as if she was asleep. "At least the Ravenclaws aren't bothering her." Fred replied.  
"That's because the Ravenclaws aren't rude like the Gryffindors." said Hermione.  
"Ah, Granger, we're not rude. We have pride." Fred said.  
Hermione scoffed and went back to her breakfast. As she went to pick up her fork, a ring on her finger glinted in the light.  
"What's that?" Fred and Ron said in unison with accusatory voices. They were both looking at the ring as if it had insulted them. "A ring." Hermione replied cooly.  
"From?" Ron pushed on.  
Hermione was quiet for a few minutes, then said "Viktor"  
This made Harry and George look up from their food. They knew very well this would not go over well with Fred or Ron. Luckily at that moment, Ginny came over to distract Harry from the outburst he knew was about to take place and George ran off to the Ravenclaw table with Maddie.  
"What'd Vicky give you that for?!" Ron demanded.  
"That's none of your business." Hermione said, anger flaring inside her.  
"Yes it is!" Ron yelled.  
Hermione ignored him, grabbed her bag and walked off. Fred was looking at the place where her hand had been with an ugly look on his face. Ron grumbled and went back to his breakfast, Fred left the Hall. "What's up with him?" Ginny asked Harry quietly, reffering to Fred as he stomped out the hall, scaring some first years.  
"No idea." Harry replied. George felt it was safe to return to the Gryffindor table now and sat across from Harry and Ginny.  
"Well?" he asked in a whisper, shooting a glance at Ron who was stabbing his food with such force they were surprised the table was still in one piece.  
"We don't know anything." said Ginny. "I mean, we all know Ron likes Hermione, But I don't know what's up with Fred"  
"He likes Hermione." said George conversationally.  
Ginny stared at her brother as though he would drop dead any minute. "What?! Since when"  
"I dunno, a while." said George, determined to look anywhere but Ginny and Harry. "He has been around us a lot lately." said Harry as he watched Ron stomp out of the Great Hall.  
Maddie took that moment to appear. She had brushed her hair, but she still looked slightly sleepy. Harry had never seen George's girlfriend up close before. She was rather pretty, in the way Sirius was. She was carelessly pretty. She had red hair like Ginny but it had an oranger tint to it and it fell to her shoulders. Her eyes were the presicely same color blue as Ron's and she gave off the type of air that Luna Lovegood usually did. She also had a piercing stare like Dumbledore, when she turned to look at Harry, he almost drew back. Her eyes rested upon his scare for a minute and then to his face.  
"You're Harry Potter." she said.  
"I am." Harry said matter-of-factly.  
"George told me about you. You're in tons of books"  
Harry was reminded briefly of when he first met Hermione.  
"Well, I have to go." she said, not waiting for Harrys answer.  
"Where?" George looked bewildered, it was a Saturday.  
"Library. I have a Charms test Monday." And with that, she left.

xxx.

Later that day, George was in the common room with Harry, Ginny, and Hermione. Hermione had taken to ignoring all questions on her ring, and if the conversation about it persisted to long for her liking she'd take off for the library. She refused to tell anyone what the pretenses of the ring were.  
"Hey George." Fred said, spotting his twin.  
"What?" he replied.  
"Whered Maddie"  
George turned around. "Why?" Fred never showed any type of interest in holding a conversation with his girlfriend.  
"I need to talk to her"  
George looked slightly suspicious. "Shes in the library"  
Fred took off before George finished his sentence.  
"What was that about?" he asked, turning to Harry, Ginny, and Hermione. "And wheres Ron?"

xxx.

Fred bolted into the library, scaring Madam Pince. The look on her face when Fred ran by her was mutinous. He found Maddie at a table by herself in the back. She was poring over a book and taking notes.  
"Maddie." He said slightly breathless as he sat down across from her. "I need to talk to you"  
"You are now." she said. He noticed she had a slightly dreamy voice like Luna Lovegood, but there was also a note of making her point final.  
"Well, yhea, but, I mean. Nevermind. You're smart, right? I mean you're in Ravenclaw you must be smart"  
She raised her eyebrow. "That's very sterotypical. Just because I'm in Ravenclaw doesn't mean I'm smart. Thats like me saying all Gryffindors are rude and obnoxious"  
Fred looked taken aback, this was why he never talked to Maddie, or any Ravenclaw besides Luna Lovegood, for that matter.  
"But you're smart right"  
"Yes"  
"Then you'll help me"  
"That depends." she said sticking her quill behind her ear. "I need you to help me play a prank on Viktor Krum"  
Maddie looked over to the other side of the library where Viktor Krum was standing. Finally, she turned back to Fred. "Is this a cruel joke?" she asked.  
"No"  
"Alright, I'll help"  
"Don't let anyone know. Except George, he can know"  
Maddie turned back to her work.


	2. Ron's Fight

Fred got up from the chair, then turned around to face Maddie. "Just one more question"  
She looked up, annoyance etched on her face.  
"Where you considered for Slytherin?" he asked.  
Annoyance dissapeared from her face and was replaced by a look of insult. "No." she said, a note of finality ringing in her voice. "Actually, I was considered for Gryffindor"  
Fred looked bewildered, but instead of questioning her further left the library.

xxx.

Fred walked into the common room. George, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione were still there. George called after him, but he didn't listen. "Oy!" George yelled, throwing a pillow from the couch at him. "I'm talking to you"  
"What?" Fred asked finally, turning around to look at them.  
"What'd you need to talk to Maddie for"  
"I needed to ask her something about Charms." Fred replied casually. Hermione was looking at him with interest; he could tell she could see through his lie, George however didn't. When they raised no more replies, he went upstairs to the boys dormitory and closed the door behind him. He flopped down onto his bed and there was a knock on the door. He got up and answered it.  
"What?" he said before looking to see who it was.  
"You're lying." said Hermione.  
Fred almost fell over at the shock of Hermione being there. He hadn't expected her. Fred didn't bother covering up his lie. "So"  
"What did you really want from Maddie"  
"I had a question." he said looking her in the eyes.  
"About?" Hermione pestered.  
"Nothing important"  
Hermione walked closer to him, "Don't lie to me." It was taking all of Fred's self-control not to grab her and snog her senseless.  
"I'm not." Fred could feel Hermione's breath on his mouth. Then, bang, Fred keeled over sideways clutching his nose.  
"What was that for?!" he yelled.  
"Stay away from her!" Ron shot back, pointing his wand at Fred.  
Harry, Ginny, and George ran up the stairs to see what happened.  
"RON!" Harry yelled, grabbing Ron and holding him back. Ginny walked over to Fred and looked at his nose. She tapped her wand to it and it mended, she tapped the blood on his face and it dissapeared.  
"Thanks, " he muttered.  
"Don't mention it." Ginny replied.  
Fred shot a nasty look at Ron, and left the dormitory. Harry let go of Ron.  
"What'd you stop me for?!" Ron yelled.  
"He's your brother! He didn't do anything to you!" Harry yelled back.  
"Yhea, apparently no one does. And even my friends don't tell me how to put my name in the Goblet of Fire!" "I didn't put my name in that cup! Just 'cause you're too thick to realize it"  
"Thick am I?" Ron questioned, and seeing no reply shouted, "Stay away from my sister"  
"Don't tell him what to do!" Ginny shouted at Ron. "Don't you get involved!" Harry yelled at her.  
"He's my brother! He's not going to tell me who I can and cannot date!" she shot back, pulling her wand at Ron. "You won't do anything." Ron said to her.  
"Won't-" but she was cut off as Ron's fist collided with her mouth.  
"Hey!" Harry yelled, truly angry now. "Don't touch her!" He bent down over Ginny and Ron swept from the dormitories. Hermione feeling out of place followed him out. Fred wasn't in the common room. Neither was Ron. George was sitting in a chair by the fire. "What happened?" George asked as she sat down next to him.  
"Ron broke Ginny's jaw"  
George looked bewildered.  
"Our Ginny? I figured she would have jinxed him first"  
"Harry was in the way"  
"Oh"  
Harry came down the stairs supporting Ginny. Answering Hermione and Fred's unanswered question he said, "She broke her ankle when she fell. George come help me." "I can do it myself." said Ginny, but the minute she pushed away from Harry and put weight on her foot she started falling and grabbed onto George. Harry and George left the common room supporting Ginny, leaving Hermione to dwell on her thoughts. 


	3. Fred

It was around 1am. Hermione had fallen asleep in the chair beside the fire in the common room. Fred climbed through the portrait hole and saw her. He walked over to her chair and sat on the arm of it.  
"Granger" he whispered in her ear in a sing-song voice.  
She woke up, startled. "George?" she asked.  
"You must have been asleep awhile. You're about the only person who can tell me and George apart"  
"Fred." Hermione said.  
"Yhea"  
"Where've you been?" "Library"  
This was not an answer you usually heard from Fred Weasley. Hermione was slightly worried for his mental safety. "Why"  
He looked at her. "I was with Maddie"  
She looked suspicious, "Doing"  
"Nothing"  
"You're spening a lot of time around her"  
"I wouldn't be. It's a damn pain being around her. She's sarcastic and she keeps rubbing her intelligence in my face. Damn Ravenclaws"  
Hermione looked at him. "I was going to be in Ravenclaw, you know"  
He looked at her. "Yes, but you're in Gryffindor. That means your Gryffindor qualities override your Ravenclaw qualities"  
Hermione looked at him. "I'm going to bed." She stood up.  
"No, wait." He grabbed her hand and pulled her down. She hadn't been expecting this and she fell down into his lap. She didn't move. "Like sitting here, do you Granger?" he taunted her.  
She pushed away. "No." she said defiantly.  
He pulled her back.  
"I don't mind." he whispered in her ear, and then as fast as he had pulled her back, he pushed her away. "But, of course, you like dear Viktor"  
Hermione looked at him stunned. "That's not fair!" she protested.  
"What's not fair"  
"You can't just pull me to you and then just push me away-" Hermione was babbling, but Fred got what she was saying. "You have to beg for it, Granger"  
"I don't beg"  
"Ah, well-" and he made to stand up but she pulled him back down.  
"Please?" she said softly. Fred looked in her eyes and saw she sincerely meant it. He leaned in and kissed her, and she kissed him back, but fiercer. George watched from the balcony above the common room that led to the dormitories. Harry came and joined him. "What're you doing?" he yawned.  
"Watching." George answered back. Harry looked over the balcony. "Well, I guess you were right"  
"Harry, I'm always right." said George, and he walked back into the dormitories, and Harry followed.

xxx.

Ginny got out of the hospital wing that morning and was able to join them in the Great Hall for breakfast. She sat next to Harry out of habit and to annoy Ron who was determinedly looking the other way.  
"What'd you tell Madam Pomfrey, Ginny?" Fred asked.  
"That I tripped." Ginny replied shooting Ron a filthy look. Hermione was playing with her food, not talking to anyone and not looking at Fred. Fred didn't know that Harry and George had seen him last night and they weren't about to tell him. Maddie walked over from the Ravenclaw table and squeezed herself between Fred and George. Hermione looked up as she came over and Maddie kept looking at her with interest, then she turned to Fred and whispered someting in his ear. Fred nodded and she left.  
Harry, Ginny, and George looked at him.  
"What was that about?" asked George suspiciously as Maddie left the Great Hall.  
"Listen, I gotta go to the library." said Fred ignoring George. He grabbed his bag and swept out the Hall.  
"What was that about?" asked Harry.  
"I'm going to find out." said Ginny, and she swept off after Fred and Maddie.  
"Should I have stopped her?" Harry asked George.  
"You couldn't have if you tried." said George, "Besides, I wanna know what those two are up to"  
Viktor Krum strode over from the Slytherin table and sat next to Hermione. Ron threw down his fork in agitation and left the Hall. Feeling like intruders to a funeral, Harry and George left too. "Vat is vrong vith them?" asked Krum.  
"Nothing." said Hermione.  
"Listen, " he said, " the two ved heads. They like you"  
"I know." said Hermione.  
"Just vatch out, okay"  
She nodded and he left her to go back to the Slytherin's. 


	4. In The Library

"Maddie why is this taking so long?" complained Fred. Maddie looked up from a book and shot Fred a nasty look. "You still haven't decided what prank you want to pull. I can't help if I don't know what it is"  
Fred looked at her. She did have a point. He thought hard. What would make Krum back off? If he saw another girl. Obviously he liked people like Hermione, all they had to do was find someone as smart as Hermione but slightly prettier. Fred looked at Maddie.  
"What?" she asked.  
"I've just decided what I want to do." said Fred slyly.

xxx.

"What's Fred up to?" George complained to Ginny and Harry an hour later in the common room. "And Maddie! She knows"  
"Why don't you ask her?" Ginny suggested.  
A look of comprehension dawned on George's face. "That's a good idea"  
Ginny rolled her eyes as George ran out the room and down to the library.  
"Do you know whats going on?" She asked Harry.  
"No idea." answered Harry truthfully. Ron walked down the stairs from the boys dormitories and looked at Harry and Ginny on the couch. His face was mutinous. Ginny leaned in and kissed Harry, which made Ron even angrier, he practically ran out of the common room.  
"What was that for?" asked Harry as Ginny pulled away.  
"Ron." said Ginny, smiling.  
Harry looked around, sure enough Ron was gone. Hermione ran into the common room.  
"What'd Krum want?" asked Ginny at once.  
Hermione looked at her. "Nothing"  
"Well, he gave you a ring once, it could have been something this time." said Ginny.  
Hermione ignored her. "Where's Fred"  
"Off somewhere with Maddie I expect, but-." said Ginny impatiently.  
"-I think you should go see him." said Harry, cutting across Ginny. "George just went to find him and we don't know what he's doing with Maddie. There might be bloodshed"  
"I doubt Maddie would cheat on George." Ginny said to Harry. "Have you met the girl at all"  
Harry opened his mouth to answer but was distracted by Hermione running out of the common room.  
"You wouldn't think a ring would cause this much trouble." said Harry.  
"Normally, it doesn't." said Ginny darkly.

xxx.

"Absolutely not." Maddie said.  
"Oh, come on Maddie! It's the best idea I've had." Fred whined.  
Maddie looked at him. Her eyes pierced him and Fred almost drew back. Maddie had the ability to make you think you've done something wrong. "Fred!" Hermione whispered.  
"What?" he asked, not looking at her.  
"I need to talk to you"  
"I'm bus-Woah! Hey! Let go!" Hermione had grabbed Fred by the arm and was dragging him over to a desserted corner of the library, she pushed him down in a chair and sat down opositte him.  
"What're you planning?" she asked.  
Fred looked bewildered. "Nothing I-" He stopped. He was planning something, and Hermione could see through his lies.  
"Exactly. What is it your planning to do"  
"Nothing that will hurt anybody"  
"Physically or emotionally"  
Fred thought, there was the possibility it could hurt Krum emotionally.  
"Well, definitely not physically." said Fred.  
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Who are you planning this for? Ron"  
"Ron doesn't deserve this much thought"  
"Then it must be Viktor." said Hermione drumming her fingers against the table.  
Fred watched her fingers. "Possibly." he said slowly. He couldn't stand sitting here, this close to her and not able to do anything. This went under the category of 'cruel and unusual punishment'. Hermione watched Fred. He looked like he was fighting a battle inside his head. "What're you thinking about?" She asked softly.  
Fred looked at her. He couldn't tell her what he was honestly thinking about.  
"Nothing"  
"You're lying." she said in a sing-song voice. She got up and walked over to him. Fred looked up at her and closed the space between them pressing his lips to hers. Hermione answered his kiss eagerly.  
"Granger!" a voice shouted. Hermione pulled away fast as lightning and as a result stmubled backward, prevented from falling by Fred who had leaned over to catch her. Hermione looked around for the voice that had spoke and looked right into the face of Snape. She blushed.  
"Y-yes Professer"  
"Where's my essay? I said I wanted it by yesterday and you failed to turn it in." Snape answered coldly, his eyes flickering from Hermione to Fred. Hermione dug through a pile of papers on the desk and handed one too him.  
He took it. "Fifty points from Gryffindor for lateness and you're lucky I don't give you detention." He looked at Fred once more with what seemed to be curiosity on his face and walked away. Hermione looked at Fred, not expecting for him to be looking back at her.  
"Hermione, if we-" he began "I have to go." Hermione said quickly and ran from the library as if it had an infectious disease.

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**Hmm. So I was just going to end the kissing scene with 'and didn't pull away until he needed air' but Snape busting in on them in the library made me LOL. xD**

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	5. Reputations

Fred walked over to the table where Maddie was, but George was there now. He didn't look happy. Fred made a U-turn for the library door, but it was too late, George had seen him.  
"Oy! Fred!" he yelled.  
Maddie nudged him in the ribs.  
"Be quiet! You'll get us kicked out!" she whispered.  
George didn't seem to care if he got kicked out or not as long as he could yell at Fred. Fred walked over to the table and sat down.  
"What the hell have you been doing with Maddie?" he asked in a menacing whisper.  
"I haven't been doing anything with her." Fred replied.  
"Well, you've been spending an awful lot of time with her and before you wouldn't speak with her." Maddie turned a page in her book as if Fred and George weren't arguing about her. Fred marveled at her ignorance. "Look, she's helping me. I'm not doing anything to take her away from you, I don't want to take her away from you." And, with that, Fred got up and left leaving George with Maddie.

xxx.

Fred walked into the common room and saw Hermione sitting in a chair with a book. Hermione looked up and saw him. She dropped her book and ran for the girls dormitory.  
Fred sighed and lay down on the couch in the common room. He had about five minutes of peace when Ron walked in. Ron caught sight of him and his face immediately went red with anger. "Ron, before you flip out, talk to me." said Fred without looking up.  
"How'd you know it was me?" Ron asked.  
"I've lived with you for, how long"  
Ron didn't answer, so Fred sat up and continued.  
"What you saw in the dormitory was nothing. Nothing"  
"Sure didn't look like that." Ron mumbled.  
"Maybe not, but nothing happened." Fred persisted.  
"Whatever." "Do you know what that rings about"  
Ron looked at him. "No. Krum changes subjects everytime I bring it up"  
Fred nodded. "Well, I'm going to bed."

xxx.

The next morning, Fred stumbled down to the Great Hall and sat next to Ginny. "Morning." he mumbled.  
"Morning." Ginny replied in a much happier voice.  
George wasn't there, he was at the Ravenclaw table with Maddie. Hermione was hiding behind a book, not eating a thing and Ron was asleep. Harry and Ginny alone seemed the only normal ones.  
Hermione looked up from her book and saw Fred. She got up and started leaving the Great Hall. "Hermione, wait." Fred called. Hermione stopped but didn't turn around. When Fred caught up with her he pulled her out of the Great Hall.  
"Hermione. We have to talk about this"  
She didn't look at him.  
"Look, you can't keep kissing me and then running away. Whats the issue"  
Hermione looked at him and shook her head. "There's an issue Hermione don't deny it. Is it Krum? 'Cause I can take care of him"  
"No"  
"Then what?" said Fred starting to get angry.  
"I don't know. I just...people...what they"  
"Say?" guessed Fred, "Is that what you care about your reputation? It doesn't matter about your image, Hermione! Those people don't rule your life"  
Fred walked off leaving Hermione on the stairs crying.

* * *

**Really short. D;**

**I'm sorry, I'll make the next chapter longer. I've been busy lately and todays my sisters birthday.**

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	6. Amends

Hermione sat on the stairs, thunderstruck. How could Fred be so mean? He definitely didn't come across that way. The bell rang. Hermione dried her tears on her sleeve and ran off to class not waiting for her friends. Everyone noticed Hermiones mood. She wasn't her usual self. Teachers would ask her a question and she'd ask them to repeat it. Harry got the magic done before her and even Ron looked at her suspiciously. By the third class of the day, the news seemed to spread amongst the teachers that Hermione wasn't herself. They began to leave her alone, figuring that was what she wanted. Hermione went to dinner that night only because she couldn't avoid it. She was hungry. Who knew being ignored made you hungry? She sat as far away from Fred as possible and he had no complaints about it. Viktor Krum noticed this. He came over to talk to Hermione. Fred didn't give them a second glance.  
"Vhats wrong?" he asked her carefully.  
She glanced at Fred quickly to see if he was watching; this didn't go un-noticed by Krum. "Nothing"  
Krum scowled in Fred's direction. "It's ve tall redhead isn't it"  
Hermione didn't reply, Krum took this as a yes. "I can do someving avout him"  
"No." Hermione said firmly. "I can handle it myself"  
"If vou insist." he replied easily getting up and walking back to the Slytherins.  
Fred got up from the table about 3 minutes later and left. Hermione suspected the library with darling Maddie. Hermione didn't know what was going on between them. George obviously didn't either, and he was furious about being left out of the loop. Hermione walked up to Gryffindor Tower alone, she was on the third floor passing an empty classroom. She heard a loud bang. She suspected Peeves, but she didn't have the energy to run away before Filch came. Just then, a hand snaked around her waist. She opened her mouth to scream and a hand clapped over it. She felt this was how she would die. Stupid, really, to think that. She was 14 in a highly protected school filled with about a thousand witches and wizards. Then she started thinking rationally. A Slytherin's idea of a joke. Hermione scowled behind the hand, stupid Slytherins. She was pulled into the empty classroom. It was dark. The hands let her go and started fumbling around the room. Probably for a lightswitch. Couldn't they have turned the lights on earlier? She would have known her captor then and it would have stopped her life from flashing before her eyes. Which would have been good, really, she didn't want to relive the event from earlier. She didn't even want to think about-  
"FRED!" she gasped as the lights turned on and the redhead captor was brought to her attention.  
He looked at her. He still looked angry. Oh dear, what had she done now? Or was this all from earlier?  
"Hey." he said softly, obviously trying to disguise the anger in his voice. He was failing miserably. Hermione was starting to get angry now. He drags her into an empty classroom and all he has to say is 'hey'? Did this morning never happen? Was it all a bad dream Hermione thought was real?  
"I'm...sorry about this morning." he said.  
So it had happened. Darn. She was really betting it was a dream. It would have made her out to be some lunatic, but as long as it wasn't true.  
"Okay." Hermione said slowly, not entirely sure of the mood Fred was in.  
"Am I not forgiven? I mean I can understand if I'm not..." he mused.  
Hermione thought. Was he forgiven? Should he be forgiven? "No, you are"  
Fred's mood picked up at this. Hermione was happy. She didn't have to be cautious, scared he would lash out at any given second.  
"Have you rethought your position"  
Position? What position? Oh, that position. Not really, to be honest. She wasn't going to tell Fred that though. Make him think all she did today was brood. "Yes"  
"What is it?" Hermione thought. Did she really care what people thought? Would it matter, as long as she was happy? "I like you, Fred. I'll take you up on your offer...at least for a little while"  
A little while? Where'd that come from? Fred seemed to be thinking along the same lines but he wasn't going to pass up this opportunity. "Good." he smiled waliking across the room to her and pressing his lips to hers.  
This was the first time he had kissed her. She always kissed him, she thought it was one-sided love. How terrible that would be. For this one moment in time, she was glad it wasn't. Glad she said yes to Fred. Terrified at the thought of everyone knowing.

* * *

**Another short one, I know, don't kill me. But theres a lot in it. I've been reading Breaking Dawn, my style now mimics Stephenie Meyer's.**

**My old style will be back soon though. Unless you prefer this style better? Review and tell me which style you like better.**

* * *


	7. Betrayl

Hermione woke up the next morning alarmed and scared. She remembered what had happened yesterday. She agreed to go out with Fred, then proceeded to make out with him for a good while. This was all fine and dandy when they were alone, but she was incredibly scared to actually make this known in front of Hogwarts. But she sure as hell wasn't going to let Fred know that. Hermione spent as long as she could getting dressed in the hopes that Fred wouldn't be there when she came downstairs. Anything to prevent him from walking down to breakfast with her. He'd probably walk closer to her than usual or even hold her hand, she shuddered at the thought. When she decided there was nothing more she could do to her hair or any outfits she could try on, she walked downstairs with her eyes squeezed tightly shut. She reached the bottom and peeked out of one eye, there was Fred leaning against the wall looking extremely lonely in the empty common room. Hermione let out a long sigh and Fred turned to her. His face lit up when he saw her and she slowly trudged over to him.

"Hey, you!" Fred greeted her happily.  
"Hey." Hermione returned, much less wholeheartedly.  
"What took you so long?" Fred asked as he climbed out the portrait hole and started for the Great Hall for breakfast.  
"Oh, you know..." Hermione began, trying to buy herself time to think of an excuse.  
Fred looked down at her and cocked an eyebrow. "No, I don't know. Care to enlighten me?"  
Hermione looked up to meet his stare and gave him a half-hearted smile. "I slept through my alarm."  
Fred scoffed. "I don't even have an alarm."

He babbled on about how he thought alarms were useless. Hermione stopped listening, nodding at correct intervals of time, and counted her blessings that he hadn't tried to hold her hand yet. The arrived at the Great Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. Maddie was sitting there this morning, squished in between George and Harry. Hermione went to sit across from them, saw Ron, then made a U-Turn and sat next to Ginny. Fred followed her lead. Everyone mumbled there good mornings to them sleepily, and Maddie gave Fred one of her pieercing stares. Hermione saw this, and despite the fact she didn't like being seen in public with Fred she liked him quite a lot and Maddie's stare struck a vein of jealousy. George also saw this stare and it struck him the wrong way. Fred turned to Hermione.

"Hey, love," Fred said, "I've got to go to the library with Maddie for a bit. I'll see you after first hour."

He didn't wait for her to reply, however he did hesitate and contemplate giving her a quick goodbye kiss, then decided against it. He didn't want to rush her and ruin everything he had worked for. He got up off the bench quickly and walked swiftly towards the library. Maddie followed behind quickly. Hermione watched, then glanced over quickly and saw George watching too but with a much more annoyed expression on his face. Hermione glanced over at Ron, he was stabbing his food with forceful anger. He finally threw his fork down and ran out the Great Hall. Harry followed suit after him, and Ginny seeing the awkwardness at the table ran out after them. Hermione glanced down at George. He'd pushed his food aside and had his head in his hands. If Hermione knew one thing about the Weasley's it was that they enjoyed their food, and if she knew one thing about the Weasley twins it was that they always ate all their food, so she knew something must be wrong. She scooted closer to George and closed the gap between them.

"Hey, George." Hermione said hesitantly, not sure if she should pat him on the back...or something.  
He peeked up at her then sat up straight. He tried to pull himself together. "Er...hey."  
Hermione cursed to herself in her head. "Well, this is sufficiently awkward. Eh, whats wrong?"  
George laughed, but the frown returned to his face. "Maddie and Fred..."  
Hermione opened her mouth to speak but George cut her off.  
"I mean, really! He never shows an interest in ever getting to know her and then all of a sudden he wants to be with her every waking moment. I don't mind it at all, I'd love for them to get along but why are they spending so much time alone together? I mean...I thought he liked YOU."  
Hermione looked up at George. "He does, he goes out with me."  
George's face screamed shock. "Oh, really? Congratulations! Then why the bloody hell is he spending so much time with my Maddie?"  
"I don't know," Hermione replied "But it really pisses me off."

**xxxx.**

Fred and Maddie were in the library sitting across from each other at a table. "I just need you to go through with this Maddie."  
Maddie had an expression on her face that kind of translated to 'I said no already, drop it'.  
"Please, Maddie? For me?"  
""For me?" What is that!?" Hermione hissed to George.  
They were hiding behind a bookshelf spying on Fred and Maddie.  
Maddie was quiet for a few moments, "Fine. But only this once."  
Fred was ecstatic. He ran over to Maddie and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Maddie looked like she was fighting a battle inside her head, she turned her head and gave Fred a passionate kiss on the lips. Hermione let out a screech of pain from behind the bookshelfs and started running out of the library. George threw one last glance at the pair and ran out after her. Fred and Maddie were completely oblivious that anyone had been watching them.


End file.
